Pediatric Eye Care
Ophthalmology located in San Francisco, CA
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Pediatric Eye Care Services Offered In San Francisco, CA
Eye exams are essential for identifying potential vision issues in children that could affect both their current eyesight and long-term eye health. If you notice your child struggling with vision, experiencing eye symptoms, or simply in need of a check-up, see trusted ophthalmologist Dilys Bart, MD, who has been expertly trained in pediatric ophthalmology. Schedule an eye exam today by calling our office or using our convenient online booking system.
Pediatric Eye Care
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Bart Eye Center sees children ages 5 and older and provides a friendly, comfortable and supportive environment for children. With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Bart knows how to keep children relaxed and entertained during an eye exam.
Why is a pediatric eye exam important?
Vision develops substantially during the first few years of life. With amblyopia, also called lazy eye, vision in one or both eyes does not mature correctly during infancy and childhood. Amblyopia is a common problem and should be diagnosed and treated as early as possible. Otherwise, a child with amblyopia will have impaired vision for life.
What are the common causes of amblyopia?
Amblyopia can be caused by other eye problems:
• Strabismus is when the eyes point in two different directions. One eye may be focused straight ahead while the other turns in, out, up, or down. To avoid seeing double, the child's brain may ignore the image from the eye that is not focused straight ahead. This can keep that eye from developing properly.
• Ametropia, also called refractive error, is blurry vision from having nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. When one eye of a child has more ametropia than the other, the blurrier eye may "turn off," causing that eye’s vision to not develop correctly. Because the child's vision seems fine when using both eyes, it can be difficult for others to realize that one eye is failing to mature satisfactorily.
How does ametropia cause blurry vision?
Ideally, when light rays enter the eye, they intersect on the retinal nerve tissue in the back of the eye. The retina then sends the visual information to the brain for processing into vision. Often, the structures of the eye are imperfect, and the light rays intersect in front of or in back of the retina, causing blurry vision. Eye structures that commonly cause this problem are the curvature of the cornea (the clear dome of the eye), the length of the eye, and the shape of the lens.
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Myopia (nearsightedness)
If you have myopia, you can see close objects clearly, but distant objects are blurry. Myopia is usually caused by the eye being too long or the cornea being too curved for the light rays to focus clearly on the retina. Nearsightedness is a common eye focusing disorder. It has been on the rise for several decades. It is estimated that by 2050, nearly half the people in the world will have nearsightedness.
Hyperopia (farsightedness)
If you have hyperopia, you can see distant objects better than close ones, and all objects may be blurry without glasses. Hyperopia occurs when the eye is too short or the cornea is too flat.
Astigmatism
If you have astigmatism, you have blurry vision at all distances. The eye and many of its structures are approximately round, like a baseball. Light comes into the eye and bends evenly, which gives you a clear visual image. But if you have astigmatism, your cornea or lens is shaped more like a football or the back of a spoon. Light gets bent more in one direction than another, creating a blurry image. Astigmatism rarely occurs alone; it usually accompanies myopia or hyperopia.
What is a pediatric eye exam?
A pediatric eye exam includes:
● A measurement of vision by reading an eye chart
● If appropriate, a refraction to determine a prescription for glasses or contact lenses. 25% of children aged 2-17 wear glasses or contact lenses.
● A screening for amblyopia (lazy eye) and strabismus (crossed or misaligned eyes)
● An evaluation of the anatomy of the eye
School eye examinations
It is recommended that children aged 5 or 6, who are entering kindergarten or the first grade, receive an eye examination before school. This eye examination will help determine if any previously unknown vision problems exist. It is important to know about any visual difficulties your child may be experiencing, as this can greatly affect school performance and future eye development.
Myopia (nearsightedness) in children
As children grow, their eyes also increase in size, causing a higher chance of becoming nearsighted. Nearsightedness is often discovered in children when they are between ages 8 and 12 years old. During the teenage years, when the body grows rapidly, nearsightedness often worsens.
What are the long-term risks of myopia (nearsightedness)?
Nearsightedness causes an increased risk for a detached retina. The retina is the nerve tissue inside the eye that collects the light to send to the brain. It can separate from the wall of the eye and cause very poor vision or blindness. The more severe your nearsightedness, the greater your risk. People with severe nearsightedness also have a higher risk of developing glaucoma, cataracts, and other eye diseases.
Nearsightedness prevention
Can I prevent or slow the worsening of nearsightedness?
Time outdoors: A great first step to prevent or slow the progression of nearsightedness is to encourage your child to spend more time outdoors. Studies have shown that outdoor time is protective against nearsightedness and a good prescription for eye health.
Multifocal glasses and contact lenses: Multifocal glasses have more than one focus power within the lens. They have the far distance correction at the top of the lens, and a gradual change in power down to the near vision correction towards the bottom of the lens. Multifocal contact lenses also have more than one focus power within the lens. These FDA-approved contact lenses have been shown to slow the progression of myopia in children.
Eye drop medication: Research has demonstrated that daily use of low-dose atropine eye drops slows the progression of nearsightedness in 80 percent of children and teenagers by stabilizing the shape of the eye.
Eye exams are crucial to determine if children are developing eye problems causing poor vision and preventing the development of healthy eyes for adulthood. To take advantage of superior pediatric eye care at the Bart Eye Center, call our office or use the online booking feature today.
TESTIMONIALS
Dr. Bart Is Outstanding –Dr. Bart was thoughtful, clear, and precise. My six year old was totally comfortable with her (as was I!) Thrilled to have found her.
Thea T.
Great family eye doctor — Dr Bart has been the eye doctor for myself and my children for a few years already! She is always patient and helpful; and gives practical and sensible advices! We will recommend her to anyone who wants a good eye doctor!
Beatrice Y.
Dr Bart serves my entire family. She is all you would want in any doctor: professional, knowledgable, gentle and kind. She always sees us on time. No reason to go anywhere else.
Geoffsf
Dr Bart to the rescue again — Dr Bart helped our family in an immediate time of need yet again! She is a wonderful and caring doctor.
Mackenzie P.